Red Lions decapitate Stags

San Beda University rookie Janti Miller dropped a career-high 24 points as the Red Lions roared to a 62-50 victory over San Sebastian College in Season 101 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

Miller went 9-of-24 from the field and grabbed six rebounds as the Red Lions remained on top of Group B with a 6-1 win-loss record.

The 22-year-old rookie from Fairfield, California admitted he had to stay focused the whole game.

“I was ready to lock in when we got started,” Miller said.

“I do a lot of meditation to get ready for this game but I had to stay locked in, composed and humble even after this game.”

The Lions led by as many as 23 points, 45-22, in the second quarter as they established their dominance for the majority of the game.

However, Stags trimmed their deficit down to eight, 54-46, at the 7:16 mark of the fourth quarter.

Miller, though, would prove his mettle, scoring all of San Beda’s last six points to keep the Stags at bay, 62-48, with 4:32 left in the game.

Aside from Miller, Jomel Puno was also stellar in the Lions’ win with a double-double of 10 points and 17 rebounds.

San Sebastian, meanwhile, dropped its fifth straight game but not without Jhuniel Dela Rama’s double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.  

Ian Cuajao also scored 10 points in the defeat that sent the Stags to a 1-7 card in Group A.

Meanwhile, Letran College extended its winning streak to five straight games after smashing Arellano University, 83-65 in the second game. 

Knights big man Kevin Santos led with 19 points while Mark Omega dropped a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds as they improved to a 5-3 record and now sit in second place in Group B behind bitter rival San Beda.